Sensible heat has significantly affected the global hydrological cycle over the historical period

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04307-4
• Publication Date: 2018-05-09T13:07:19Z
• Authors: G. Myhre; B. H. Samset; Ø. Hodnebrog; T. Andrews; O. Boucher; G. Faluvegi; D. Fläschner; P. M. Forster; M. Kasoar; V. Kharin; A. Kirkevåg; J.-F. Lamarque; D. Olivié; T. B. Richardson; D. Shawki; D. Shindell; K. P. Shine; C. W. Stjern; T. Takemura; A. Voulgarakis
• Keywords: Forcing (mathematics); Climate commitment

Globally, latent heating associated with a change in precipitation is balanced by changes to atmospheric radiative cooling and sensible heat fluxes. Both components can be altered climate forcing mechanisms through feedbacks, but the impacts of feedbacks on fluxes have received much less attention. Here we show, using range modelling results, that are dominant contributor present global-mean since preindustrial time, because impact forcings approximately compensate. The model results show dissimilar influence from various drivers change. Due its strong absorption, black carbon found very differently compared other aerosols greenhouse gases. Our indicate this likely caused differences lower tropospheric stability.